A rare debut feature that premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, and Senegal’s official submission to the 96th Academy Awards, Banel & Adama is a lush and lyrical West African dreamscape, a tragic romance that soars to the heights of longing and descends deep into the realm of myth as it sets its protagonists’ perfect everlasting love on a collision course with their community’s traditions. We’re proud to open it this Friday at the Royal. Click here to see the trailer.
“Unequivocally beautiful. Sy paints breathtaking scenes with her camera, demonstrating a gorgeous way of seeing the world.” – Lovia Gyarke, Hollywood Reporter
“A striking debut that puts Sy on the map. The combination of ethereal voiceover with nature at its most breathtaking evokes our cinema’s philosophical high priest, Terrence Malick.” – Sophie Monks Kaufman, Indiewire
“Transfixing… a tragic, evocative love story.” – Robert Daniels, OkayAfrica
“In Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s impressive debut, she’s saying we’re more than flesh and blood – and that if things are falling apart, we can still make sense of it because we’re storytellers.” – Steve Pond, TheWrap
“A cosmic love story. With its balletic choreography of performance and statuesque visual approach, Sy’s film is a work of remarkable composition.” – Little White Lies
“Wonderfully photographed and vehemently acted, the film is full of ideas. An impressive piece of work from a natural filmmaker.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian
“It really gets under your skin.” – Damon Wise, Deadline
“It’s a remarkable performance from Mane, who conveys the mutinous, deluded anger in a young woman who would bend the world around her to her will if she could.” – Wendy Ide, Screen International